Hitler means business, so A’bad trader lays store by him

A men's garment store named after the dictator due to open Sunday

Come Sunday, a men's garments store called Hitler, its black-and-white sign-board complete with a Nazi Swastika, will open in the posh Vastrapur locality of Ahmedabad.

Although the store's front window will face the main road, its location is unobtrusive enough - it is one among numerous stores in a spacious commercial complex, where scores of small and medium-sized stores sell garments, cutlery, cosmetics, packaged and frozen food and leather-ware. Also among them are travel agencies and a hair-cutting salon.

Store-owner Rajesh Shah (32), overseeing final decorations on Thursday afternoon, is thrilled about the attention a small banner announcing the opening was already attracting. He says the shop will wear "the theme of Hitler" with black and white wall-mounted clothing racks and a gondola of dark-red bricks.

Shah says he has heard about Hitler and knows he was not liked, but it's just that. Shah does not know his politics. "Shops have nice names these days and coming up with a catchy name is not easy. I have heard of the man Hitler. People don't like him. But it is a catchy name for a shop and it will attract customers," he says.

Shah is ready with his merchandising plans for the "western-style garments" shop - carry-bags will be in black and white only and will be adorned with a red swastika. Store attendants will also be dressed and adorned similarly. The lighting, to keep with the theme, will be dim.

Invitation cards for the store's opening make no mention of what the store will sell. Shah's black-coloured business card, too, does not even carry his name. It just has the name of the store, a swastika to dot the "i" in Hitler, two cellphone numbers (both Shah's) and an address.

... contd.

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